A Houston Astros fan hungering for baseball trivia tunes in to KTRH and savors color commentator Larry Dierker's tidbits on his "This Day in Baseball" pregame segment. It's an irresistible appetizer, something to wet the whistle of a fan who subsists on a steady diet of ballgames. Casey Stengel's first championship team? Last New York Yankee to hit 40 home runs? First reliever to record 30 saves? Dierker provides the answers. First man to pitch in the Astrodome?

The nonstop from Seattle on Friday took 4 hours 30 minutes, which is only slightly longer than the average postseason game as baseball allows Fox to cram so many commercials into the extended 2-minute 30-second break between each half inning that Rupert Murdoch should have no trouble raising the Dodgers' already industry-numbing payroll, if that's what he chooses.

Larry Dierker has come full circle, from second-guessing managers to being second-guessed himself. Last season, little that Dierker did merited critical scrutiny. The Houston Astros broadcaster-turned-manager won the National League manager-of-the-year award Wednesday after leading the Houston Astros to a team-record 102 wins and their second consecutive division title.

Larry Dierker resigned as manager of the Houston Astros on Thursday, after leading them to four division titles in five years but losing in the first round of the playoffs each time. The Astros tied for the National League's best record, 93-69, and won the National League Central this season before being swept by the Atlanta Braves in their division series. "We wanted to go further. We wanted to move on," Dierker said. "But we never did."

Larry Dierker, who led the Houston Astros to three consecutive NL Central titles before this season's demise, will return next season as manager. Before Saturday night's game against Milwaukee, the Astros announced Dierker would be back. He has two years remaining on his contract. The Astros, who traded pitcher Mike Hampton and center fielder Carl Everett in the off-season and then lost closer Billy Wagner because of injury, faded to fourth-place this season.

What could Cleveland's Sandy Alomar Jr., the Cubs' Gary Gaetti, the Angels' Todd Greene, San Francisco's Stan Javier, Boston's Bret Saberhagen and Atlanta's John Smoltz and Walt Weiss possibly have in common? A couple of catchers, a couple of infielders, an outfielder and a couple of pitchers? Well, visualize. "When we take our hats off, there's no avoiding our thinning hair," Saberhagen said.

The Houston Astros won in Larry Dierker's return from brain surgery. Derek Bell got the big two-run, go-ahead single that capped a comeback from a six-run deficit. So you'd think Bell would be happy after Thursday night's 8-6 victory over the Detroit Tigers. But that wasn't the case. Dierker dropped him to the No. 6 spot in the batting order. "It's like I just got here," Bell said. "I've been here helping this team for five years. It hurts." Bell, who batted second in recent years, hit only .

Larry Dierker resigned as manager of the Houston Astros on Thursday, after leading them to four division titles in five years but losing in the first round of the playoffs each time. The Astros tied for the National League's best record, 93-69, and won the National League Central this season before being swept by the Atlanta Braves in their division series. "We wanted to go further. We wanted to move on," Dierker said. "But we never did."

Larry Dierker has the best winning percentage of any manager in Houston history. The Astros have won the division title in four of his five seasons, and he has another year left on his contract. Yet Dierker might have managed his last game for the Astros, a possibility he suggested repeatedly after Friday's loss eliminated Houston from the playoffs. "I really want to come back and give this another shot," he said.

Astro Manager Larry Dierker collapsed in the dugout after suffering a grand mal seizure during the eighth inning of Sunday's game against the San Diego Padres. Dierker's condition stabilized in an ambulance as he was transported from the Astrodome to Methodist Hospital, General Manager Gerry Hunsicker said. Dierker, 52, will be hospitalized several days for tests. Bench coach Matt Galante will take over as interim manager until Dierker returns.

Larry Dierker has the best winning percentage of any manager in Houston history. The Astros have won the division title in four of his five seasons, and he has another year left on his contract. Yet Dierker might have managed his last game for the Astros, a possibility he suggested repeatedly after Friday's loss eliminated Houston from the playoffs. "I really want to come back and give this another shot," he said.

Larry Dierker, who led the Houston Astros to three consecutive NL Central titles before this season's demise, will return next season as manager. Before Saturday night's game against Milwaukee, the Astros announced Dierker would be back. He has two years remaining on his contract. The Astros, who traded pitcher Mike Hampton and center fielder Carl Everett in the off-season and then lost closer Billy Wagner because of injury, faded to fourth-place this season.

What could Cleveland's Sandy Alomar Jr., the Cubs' Gary Gaetti, the Angels' Todd Greene, San Francisco's Stan Javier, Boston's Bret Saberhagen and Atlanta's John Smoltz and Walt Weiss possibly have in common? A couple of catchers, a couple of infielders, an outfielder and a couple of pitchers? Well, visualize. "When we take our hats off, there's no avoiding our thinning hair," Saberhagen said.

The Houston Astros won in Larry Dierker's return from brain surgery. Derek Bell got the big two-run, go-ahead single that capped a comeback from a six-run deficit. So you'd think Bell would be happy after Thursday night's 8-6 victory over the Detroit Tigers. But that wasn't the case. Dierker dropped him to the No. 6 spot in the batting order. "It's like I just got here," Bell said. "I've been here helping this team for five years. It hurts." Bell, who batted second in recent years, hit only .

Astro Manager Larry Dierker collapsed in the dugout after suffering a grand mal seizure during the eighth inning of Sunday's game against the San Diego Padres. Dierker's condition stabilized in an ambulance as he was transported from the Astrodome to Methodist Hospital, General Manager Gerry Hunsicker said. Dierker, 52, will be hospitalized several days for tests. Bench coach Matt Galante will take over as interim manager until Dierker returns.

Larry Dierker has come full circle, from second-guessing managers to being second-guessed himself. Last season, little that Dierker did merited critical scrutiny. The Houston Astros broadcaster-turned-manager won the National League manager-of-the-year award Wednesday after leading the Houston Astros to a team-record 102 wins and their second consecutive division title.

The nonstop from Seattle on Friday took 4 hours 30 minutes, which is only slightly longer than the average postseason game as baseball allows Fox to cram so many commercials into the extended 2-minute 30-second break between each half inning that Rupert Murdoch should have no trouble raising the Dodgers' already industry-numbing payroll, if that's what he chooses.

A Houston Astros fan hungering for baseball trivia tunes in to KTRH and savors color commentator Larry Dierker's tidbits on his "This Day in Baseball" pregame segment. It's an irresistible appetizer, something to wet the whistle of a fan who subsists on a steady diet of ballgames. Casey Stengel's first championship team? Last New York Yankee to hit 40 home runs? First reliever to record 30 saves? Dierker provides the answers. First man to pitch in the Astrodome?